(Hello, dear Readers, I'm back! I want to apologize if some of you dislike the serious elements I have been incorporating into the story lately. I was at a bit of a standstill with this story and didn't really know how I could carry it on but then I got an idea that seemed to give me the push I needed to continue. The story arc with the Bolton issue has its serious moments but I promise this story as a whole will continue to have the utter silliness that started this tale in the first place. I hope this rather long chapter will bring on the laughter that the previous chapters lacked due to seriousness. )
[Song Suggestions for this Chapter: listen to 'Always a Catch' by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard when Amber asks where Harley is, later on during the therapy session I suggest listening to 'Save the Last Dance For Me' by Michael Bublé, 'Tango' by Jaci Velasquez, 'You Don't Own Me' by Grace (ft. G-Eazy), 'Jailhouse Rock' by Elvis Presley, and 'Madness' by Muse.]
[Author's Note: I know that 'You Don't Own Me' by Grace (ft. G-Eazy) wasn't recorded until 2016, but the song was too perfect not to use for the scene with the Joker and Nurse Amber.]
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dance House
March 10th, 2013
Sunday
(The Next Day)
"Transferred!" Katherine screeched. "What do you mean she's being transferred!"
Nurse Amber winced at Katherine's volume. "Inside voice," she reprimanded.
"Explaaain," the girl whispered intensely.
"Katelynn 2 is being transferred tomorrow to Williams Medical Center because –,"
"What's the point of playing match-maker if everyone keeps getting transferred!" Katherine burst, seeming to not hear her.
"Katherine, you're in the cafeteria; you can't be shouting like – wait, what?"
"Huh?"
"What?"
"What what?"
"Did you say 'match-ma –,"
"I said nothing," Katherine quickly replied, her facial features blank.
Amber squinted trying to detect the truth. Katherine cleared her throat and impatiently gestured with her right hand. "Um, you were saying?"
Amber sighed, deciding to let the comment go, and carried on. "Katelynn 2's therapist brought it to the Board's attention that she's not dangerous enough to be held in Arkham Asylum."
Katherine folded her arms and glowered. "And they couldn't have determined that over a year ago and saved me the crushing disappointment?"
"Her case has actually been under examination for the last two months and I was informed of it yesterday evening. Someone dropped the ball of communication and Dr. Arkham only just found out about it and told me personally."
"How good of him," Katherine deadpanned.
Amber's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "I didn't realize you and Katelynn 2 had become good friends."
In fact, Amber had been under the impression the two girls were hostile to each other. To be honest, she'd even considered not telling her charges about Katelynn 2's transfer because she hadn't noticed any of the others displaying any sort of fondness for her which was a bit sad in her opinion. She hadn't had much chance to really decide how to handle the situation since Dr. Arkham told her about it the other day. After clocking out from work, Amber had gone straight home and collapsed into bed. She woke a minute before her alarm went off on Sunday morning because of a rather realistic dream with the Joker as a guest star. The young nurse spent most of her time in church silently praying that God would give her the strength to not strangle Jonathan Crane the next time she saw him.
After church, she'd gone straight to work, changed into her blue scrubs and matching blue converses in the ladies locker room and went directly to the cafeteria when Katherine suddenly popped up and requested that she Katelynn 2 and Crane participated in a small activity on Monday.
"Friends? Phfft!" Katherine snorted. "Heck no, I just planned for –," she suddenly bit down on her tongue.
"Fooor?" Amber prodded.
"Nothing – the world is against me, that's all!" Katherine turned and stomped off towards Nigma who sat at the table Amber's charges had wordlessly claimed as theirs. Amber sighed and went to join her fellow co-workers and friends in the staff lunch area.
Joan, Gatsby, Dr. Arkham and a seasoned security guard named Aaron Cash bid her welcome as she took a seat between Joan and Gatsby. "How was church?" Cash asked. His deep voice would have been intimidating if it wasn't for the broad smile her gave her.
"Good. The Preacher had a guest missionary talk about the work he and his group had going on in Sri Lanka. It's been nine years since that tsunami hit and they're still dealing with the aftermath."
There was a collective sound of sympathies from the table. Cash grunted. "I woulda thought that most of the damages were repaired by now?"
Amber took a hand-full of peanuts Joan offered her and nodded at Cash. "They are, it's mostly the people that still need help now. There's tsunami preparations going on, like swim schools, evacuation routes and therapy for those who suffer from thalassophobia, fear of the sea."
"Well that's a mouth full," Cash chuckled, coincidentally taking a rather big bite from a thick BLT sandwich. Aaron Cash had worked at the asylum for years and had lasted the longest. That earned him the respect of his colleges and even Batman himself. In his early forties, Cash was a big man, muscular but nowhere near Bolton's level. His skin was nearly ebony and he sported a close-trimmed beard. The most distinguishing feature about Cash was the prosthetic hook where his left hand should have been.
Despite Amber working at Arkham for over a year, she'd only recently become acquainted with Cash. She'd seen him around several times but Cash's intimidating size and hook had kept her at bay, the double metal prongs making her nervous. Later she learned from Joan that Cash lost his hand to Killer Croc years ago.
"Cash doesn't get shaken up by the patients, not even the Joker seems to faze him, but Croc…" Joan winced and shook her head. "Croc's the only one that makes him nervous." She then chuckled and added. "Though you'd hardly know it from all the insults they toss at each other."
After taking it upon herself to look into Lyle Bolton's work ethic, Amber had forced herself to get over her nerves and approach Cash to question him about Bolton. To her surprise, Cash was remarkably friendly and readily answered her questions about him. He didn't trust Bolton, never had, and that made Cash an ally in her book. Since then the two had become friendly acquaintances and Cash had taken to calling her, 'missy', which according to Joan meant that Cash saw Amber as 'good people'.
Sitting at the table, Amber kept impatiently glancing at Dr. Arkham. What the Joker had divulged at the party concerning Bolton burned away at her. She'd wanted to tell him yesterday but ended up having to deal with the fiasco she'd predicted giving a piñata to a group of mentally unstable criminals would create. By the time things were calmed down and she approached her boss, he told her about Katelynn 2's transfer and she got distracted by that sudden bit of news. She'd told no one else about the Joker's "subtle" confession. Although she considered Joan, Gatsby and now Cash, as friends, she felt that it was best to keep some things close to her chest, so she waited for an opportunity to get Dr. Arkham alone to talk. When he stood from the table, lunch finished, Amber stamped down her impulse to jump up and stop him from leaving.
"Dr. Arkham," she said hastily.
"Hm?" he sounded, turning to face her. He held his empty lunch tray with his left hand and dabbed at his mouth with a napkin in his right.
"Can I speak with you for a moment? Alone?"
He eyed his watch speculatively. "I'm afraid I can't talk right now. I have a therapy session with Zsasz in about ten minutes."
"Oh," Amber replied, disappointed. "I really have to speak with you today so if you could see me the moment you're available –,"
"I'll come find you," Dr. Arkham said with a nod.
"Thanks."
As soon as he was gone, all eyes shifted to Amber. "Well, well, what was that about?" Gatsby asked.
"Has it got to do with Katelynn 2's transfer? I know you got really short notice about it," Joan interjected before Amber could rely.
"Um, sure, yeah." The young woman stuffed an apple slice in her mouth to avoid going into details.
"She's been acting odd since yesterday," Joan informed Cash as she spooned up some yogurt.
"She is right here by the way," Amber mumbled around the half-chewed apple slice.
"And getting sassier," Joan added.
Amber swallowed her food and gazed across the room at her charges all gathered together at "their" table. "I can't believe I have to say good-bye to two patients in less than a week."
"At least you'll be down to eleven charges now," Joan said.
Cash let out a low whistle. "You mean to tell me they got you watchin' thirteen patients at one point?"
"Yep."
"Well dang, missy." Cash bit into his sandwich again. He held it with his right hand and expertly used the hook's prongs to angle his drink towards him so he could slurp from a bendy straw. Amber marveled at the man's dexterity with the hook.
"I wasn't always so accepting of this thing," he said, catching her stare. Amber turned scarlet and looked down. "Nah, it's okay, missy. I understand the urge to look. It's not everyday you see a hooked man, right?"
Amber gave him a careful grin. "Well it wasn't until I worked here."
Cash chuckled in his deep baritone way. "You're right, missy, you're right." He sighed and glanced at the hook. "After Croc took my hand, I went into depression. Didn't think I'd be good anything without the use of both hands. But then I stopped feeling sorry for myself when Dr. Arkham called and told me I still had a job here."
Amber smiled and propped her chin in her hand. "Forgive me for asking, but I just gotta know. How often do patients make Captain Hook jokes?"
Cash groaned. "Only too often, especially the new-comers. Everybody got jokes, everybody thinks they the first to crack it."
"Those poor, ignorant fools," Amber sighed with feigned sorrow. A high-pitched cackle made Cash, Joan and Gatsby cringe but Amber merely rolled her green eyes and fixed the culprit with a glare. "Joker, pipe down!" she snapped. The Joker sent her an overly fake, sheepish grin her way and lifted his palms up in an apologetic shrug. It was obviously sarcastic but his laughter was more subdued afterwards.
Cash lifted his eyebrows as high as they could go. "Well I'll be…Now I've seen everything. The Joker listens to you?"
Amber snorted. "As if. He'll be back to cackling in a few minutes."
Cash shook his head, his eyes going to Joan. "I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it. I mean, I'd overheard some of the boys commenting about how he is with her but –,"
Joan's posture stiffened, her head and neck becoming more erect, and her lips formed a thin line. Cash and Joan had worked together for years and he picked up on what she was telling him. Change the conversation. He closed his mouth and focused on his lunch. Amber was preoccupied with staring at something near her charges' lunch table and hadn't seen the silent exchange between doctor and guard. Her eyes scanned the cafeteria and then her eyebrows knitted together. "Where's Caleb and Harley?" she asked.
"Caleb caught a stomach virus overnight. He's gonna be kept in the infirmary until he's better," Cash said. "Took him there myself."
"Okay, but what about Harley?"
Everyone turned and surveyed the expanse of the cafeteria. Harley was nowhere to be seen. "She was here three minutes ago," Gatsby said.
Amber's eyes kept straying to the Joker. He was being too still. His gaze was fixed on the door to the kitchen. It was just beginning to close, someone had gone in and the Joker wasn't happy about it for some reason. He looked ready to leap over the table, the veins on his neck visible even from where she sat. A cold, uneasy feeling coiled in the pit of Amber's stomach. Sweeping her eyes over the room again, she counted the security guards in the cafeteria. Protocol stated a certain number of them were to be stationed inside during the cafeteria's active hours. She came up one short.
"Who's scheduled for cafeteria security today?"
Cash pursed his lips in thought. "Titus, Marv, Bolton –,"
Amber shot up from the table and dashed to the kitchen. Bolton was the one missing. "Amber?" Joan called worriedly.
She burst into the kitchen and quickly looked around the immediate area. A couple of startled kitchen workers paused to blink at her but went about their business. One girl didn't look away, she lingered while everyone else moved on, waiting to catch Amber's eye. She knew the girl's face but not her name, a new hire. The teenager nervously tugged at her blond ponytail then jerked her head towards the back where food storage was located. Amber ran.
Now that she had distanced herself from the chatter of voices, the clanging of food trays into sinks and the hiss of high-pressured water from dishwasher nozzles, she could make out the harsh bark of Bolton's voice and a young woman's yelp of pain. "Oh heck no," Amber growled, sprinting faster.
Rounding the corner she found Bolton towering over Harley's cowering figure on the floor. Her hands were thrown over her head and her eyes were squeezed shut. "I only wanted tah get Mistah J an' extra puddin', I swear!"
"That's the fourth time you've been caught stealing from the kitchens, Quinn." Bolton reared back his leg then sent it crashing against Harley's ribs. She cried out and collapsed onto her side, one arm wrapping around her middle and her left hand reaching for her ankle. Had Bolton broken it?
Red flashed before her eyes when Bolton drew a baton and raised it above his head. "Bolton!" Amber shouted, anger distorting her voice into something ugly. The man wobbled, his arm dropping, and he whirled about to face her. "Get. Away. From her," Amber ordered through clenched teeth.
Bolton didn't move. A stony expression came over his face. "Your patient was stealing, Nurse Johnson. I caught her in the act."
"Did she respond violently when you caught her?" she asked with a pointed glare at his baton.
His grip tightened on the weapon for an instant before answering. "No."
"Then why do you have your weapon out, Officer Bolton?"
He lifted a black eyebrow, surprised at the acidic tone coming from her. "This isn't her first offense of stealing, Nurse Johnson. She needed to be punished."
"That is not your job." Every word came out clipped and perfectly enunciated. Not at all like Amber's usual easy-going voice. Anger radiated in waves off of her and she prayed to God that she wouldn't do anything rash if the guard said anything else stupid.
Harley barely moved, her eyes shifted back and forth between them. "Nurse Amber," she began in a quavering voice.
"Quiet!" Bolton shouted, his baton wielding hand lifting. Harley curled into a trembling ball.
"Officer Bolton, if you hurt her I swear I will use that baton on you myself!"
Her threat threw him so off-guard that he could only blink at her. His shock was apparent but it soon was replaced with resentment. His jaw jutted out as he ground his teeth.
"Is everything all right here?" Cash's deep baritone broke in. He approached from behind Amber, a cautious hand at his belt and a questioning gaze taking in everything.
Amber didn't remove her stare from Bolton. "Officer Cash, I think Harley needs to be taken to the infirmary."
"What happened?" Cash asked, kneeling next to Harley.
The blond woman cast a furtive glance at Bolton then looked down at her ankle. "Heh, I was just tryin' tah sneak an extra puddin' for my Mistah J an' Bolton caught me at it. He startled me an' I slipped on an ice cube. Must 'ave hurt my ankle when I fell."
Cash exchanged a look with Amber. "You don't say?" Yeah, he wasn't buying it either. "Well, let's get a nurse to take a look at it, huh?" Harley kept her head down but wordlessly threaded her arms around Cash's neck as he lifted her into his arms, taking care not to poke her with his hook. The jostling of her ribs made Harley suck air in through her teeth. Cash paused and stared hard at Bolton. "Let me guess; she fell on her side when that ice cube tripped her up?"
"That's right," Bolton replied stiffly. "The woman's a klutz." He looked at Amber as if daring her to contradict him.
"Really? Cause I'm pretty sure I read in her file that Harley's quite the gymnast," Amber said. His eyes narrowed to slits at her and she couldn't help but deliver one more jab. "Shouldn't you go back to your post, Lyle?"
"I'll do just that," he answered with an oily smile and left.
Cash and Amber waited until he was out of sight before breathing freely. "That was pushing it a bit, don't you think, missy?"
Amber looked at the trembling woman in his arms. "No. I don't think it was enough."
Harley's face was buried in the crook of Cash's neck. Amber heard a soft sniffle coming from her. "All right, Miss Quinn, let's get you looked after."
Amber walked ahead, dealing with any obstacles in Cash's path as he carried Harley out of the kitchen. The Joker's expression was hard to read when he caught sight of Harley being cradled by the big man. He stood to his feet and swiftly moved around the table, ignoring everyone, until he came within a few feet of Cash. The guard took a step back and said, "Whoa, Joker. Back off, no closer. Let me by, your girl's got to go to the infirmary." Harley seemed to cringe at the mention of the Joker and she didn't look at him.
"Harley." The Joker's voice had come out strained. Harley still refused to look at him. "Bolton?" he asked and Amber realized it was directed at Cash. The guard didn't speak but his unwavering eye contact with the clown was answer enough.
Amber caught sight of the Joker's hands curling into fists. She stepped in front of Cash and because the Joker was standing so close to him that put Amber nearly flush against the Joker's chest. She laid a hand on his sternum and applied the slightest bit of pressure with her fingertips. "Joker, please," she whispered. "She's hurt."
"I can see that, peaches. I also see that the one responsible just walked out of the kitchen without an escort," the Joker said in a low growl that vibrated against Amber's fingers.
"I'm working on it, okay?" She nervously licked her lips and continued speaking in a whisper. "But you need to back down and let Cash pass." She glanced around at the other guards, a few were inching their way towards them, apprehensive expressions on their faces and hands hovering at the ready near their belts. Bolton already had his baton out and drummed his fingers upon it, a taunting smirk directed at her. She focused on the Joker's face. "Joker," she pleaded. She hoped he could hear what she was trying to tell him. They are going to hurt you.
His brown eyes slide away from Harley and came to rest on Amber. She couldn't read them. Had no idea what to expect next. She could only pray. He looked at Bolton and grinned at him in such a foreboding way that Amber's blood nearly went cold at the sight. A beat passed, and then the Joker turned and stormed over to the table. He plopped down and hunched over the table, his eyes pinned to Cash and Amber. His tablemates gaped at him, at Harley, at Amber – basically they resembled fish out of water with their bulging eyes and opened mouths.
Cash swore as he stared in disbelief at the Joker then at Amber with awe. "I never would have believed it. Never. He don't listen to anybody, missy. He don't listen to a soul."
Harley's ribs turned out to be bruised and her ankle severely sprained. Dr. Benjamin Stoner assured Amber that his infirmary staff would take care of her while they arranged to take her back to her cell. Now Amber stood just outside the hall entrance to her charges' cells, her head resting on the wall. Breathe in, breathe out. You're going to tell Dr. Arkham about the incident today, but for now you need to concentrate on the others. An activity's been scheduled for your group so focus on that, okay?
Straightening up, she tucked a lose lock of hair behind her ear then inhaled and exhaled once more through her nostrils. "Let's go," she whispered and stepped through the entryway.
"Look out, everybody! It's the bearer of bad news!" Katherine announced sulkily.
Amber gave her a "what the heck?" look as she passed her cell and stopped midway in the hall. She clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention, as if Katherine's announcement hadn't already done so. "Listen up, guys and gals," she called out, raising her voce so those in the cells further back would hear her. "I've been told that Harley will be okay but she did sprain her ankle and bruise her ribs pretty badly so she won't be able to participate in today's therapy activity."
"Lucky," Dent grumbled.
While everyone else was arguing about whether or not Harley was lucky to be missing out of the activity, Amber stepped closer to the Joker's cell. He was leaning against the corner where the glass wall and the solidity of the wall separating him from Nigma joined. "She seemed to be holding up well when I left her in the infirmary," she said in a low voice so that only he could hear.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward for a brief moment. "I'd expect she would. She's endured worse beatings before, what Bolton gave her is nothing."
Amber remembered what Joan had told her about the Joker and Harley's dysfunctional relationship and refrained from commenting about just who had given Harley a high pain endurance. She lowered her eyes to the floor and out of habit, bit her lower lip as she thought about what to say. She detected the Joker's stance shift and her eyes lifted to look at him. He'd positioned himself to be standing in front of her and was leaning with his right arm above his head on the glass. Those dark eyes were focused on her mouth.
"That little habit is gonna get you in biiig trouble someday, peaches."
Amber released her lower lip and silently gulped. The Joker grinned and his right hand's fingers began to absent-mindedly tap a rhythm against the glass. "Sooo, what's the activity?"
This time it was Amber's turn to grin.
"Dance therapy!" Dr. Candance trilled. "It's quickly becoming the most popular form of therapeutic –,"
"I'm out," the Joker announced flatly and turned to go.
Dr. Candance faltered. "What?"
"It's a required therapy activity, Joker," Amber said from where she leaned against the wall.
"Not me, nuh-uh, nope, nada, not happening!" the Joker insisted.
"If he's not participating then I'm not either," Dent declared, folding his arms and giving a single, determined nod to emphasize just how serious he was about his decision.
"He's participating," Amber sighed with the patience of one handling children. The Joker frowned at her but she merely pointed to his empty chair with a bored expression on her face. The Joker pouted as he trudged back to his seat.
"I think this could actually be a bit fun," Nigma whispered as he leaned closer to Katherine as if to divulge a secret.
Visions of slow dancing with her precious Mr. Riddler filled Katherine's head and she found herself quickly nodding. "Yep, most definitely, mmh-hmm, couldn't agree more."
"Therapy seems to have become a spectacle since I practiced," Crane commented dryly as he disdainfully eyed Dr. Candance's sparkly purple unitard.
"Says the former doctor who is now a patient himself," Dr. Candance reminded him with biting sweetness.
"Buuurn!" Katelynn 2 cackled. Crane threw her an icy glare.
Katherine sniffled unhappily as she watched the pair. "It would have been so so beautiful," she whimpered. Nigma quirked an eyebrow at her, thoroughly confused.
"Today we shall learn a simple beginner's version of the tango," Dr. Candance said. "With my instruction you'll know the steps in no time."
"I feel so confident," the Joker droned in a deadpan. "Thank God we have an instructor whose name basically tells us what she can do. Oh please teach us to dance, Can-dance."
"Joker, stop being such a stup-stup," Katherine said.
"What the heck is a 'stup-stup'?"
"It means 'stupid' you stupid clown! Geez, you really are a stup-stup."
"Pair up, everyone!" Dr. Candance sang.
Dent instantly clung to Ivy. "Dibs!"
Katherine somehow managed to leap and wrap her whole body around Nigma. "Same here!"
"Ahem," Katlyn 1 sounded. "Shouldn't I have a say in this, Katherine?"
Nigma's eyes widened as he looked between the two girls. "Oh dear God," he whispered. Praying seemed to work for Nurse Amber, maybe God would be in a listening mood?
Amber heard the Joker snicker. "This is why a villain should never have two hench-wenches. It looks hot, but ooooh, the consequences."
"I already called dibs," Katherine said, not relinquishing her hold.
"But you did so without thinking," Katlyn 1 added with a strained smile. "Best friends should discuss decisions."
"But minions accept the choices made of their boss," Katherine replied with an equally strained smile.
The Joker inched to the edge of his seat, a giddy grin on his face. "Oh-ho, girls, is there a problem?"
"No," they responded tersely.
His grin widened. He leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees, threading his fingers together as he watched the girls with glee. "I'm glad I stuck around now," he mumbled beneath his breath.
Jervis and Tommy Tetch whispered with one another and then Jervis stood from his chair and bowed elegantly in front of Katlyn 1. "Permit me to offer myself as a suitable partner and ask, 'Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?'"
Amber made a face that showed just how adorable she found his request to be. Katlyn 1 on the other hand… "Mr. Edward, who would you rather dance with?" she asked abruptly.
The Joker's smile stretched he turned his gaze on the Riddler who now resembled a deer caught in the headlights. Katherine and Katlyn 1 were looking at Nigma expectantly. "Well, uuuh," Nigma's voice warbled. "Heh, heh." He tugged at his collar as beads of sweat appeared on his temple. "H-height-wise, Katlyn, you'd be better suited with Jervis. I mean, with Katherine and I being so close in stature aaand –,"
"I see," Katlyn 1 said, her eyes narrowing.
"The munchkin has been angered," the Joker whispered.
Katlyn 1 silently went to Jervis and threaded an arm through his. He patted her hand and beamed whilst humming, 'will you, won't you' under his breath. Dent's mouth formed an 'o' as he switched his gaze back and forth between the previously inseparable duo. "Harvey, you're crushing my ribs," Ivy gasped. Dent yelped and released her so quickly she lost her balance and toppled out of her chair. "Harveeeey," she hissed from the floor, glaring up at him.
"Hey, Pammy, while you're just lying there, I've just been dying to ask you something."
Ivy groaned with dread as Dent helped her back into her seat. How it was possible for the Joker's grin to widen ever more was an absolute mystery but somehow he managed as he gazed steadily at her. "What's with the moniker? I mean, of all things to call yourself, you could have just stuck with 'Poison', but you chose to add the 'Ivy' part as well. Think about it, Pammy. What's so terrifying about poison ivy? You basically called yourself a rash!"
Katherine desperately fought back a snort of laughter. She heard Nigma snigger next to her. Sneaking a glance at him, he caught her eye and held her gaze. He had an incredible poker face, but another giggle escaped him and that was it for Katherine. The stoic expressions dropped as they burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Even Dr. Candance was quietly tittering behind her hand. Amber was doing all she could to keep her lips sealed together and took measured breaths. Ivy glared murderously at the Joker and Dent, God bless him, was glowering on her behalf but Amber could detect the slight twitching at the corner of the unmarred side of his mouth.
"Shall we move on?" Dr. Candance interjected before the Joker could say more. "I'll need a volunteer to be my dance partner."
The laughter quickly died down except for a final snort from the Joker who took to examining his cuticles. Crane gave her a poisonous, close-lipped smile and remained seated. Tommy glanced around, saw that no one was eager, and sheepishly raised his hand.
"Thank you for volunteering," Dr. Candance gushed.
"'May the odds be evah in your favah,'" Amber whispered in her best Effie Trinket accent.
"Since Mr. Tommy is volunteering to be my partner that just leaves Mr. Crane, the Joker and the, uh, other Katelynn –,"
"Katelynn 2!" the girl chirped.
"Katelynn 2," Dr. Candance repeated slowly while giving Nurse Amber a dubious look.
"Hey, you try coming up with something on the spot to tell two Kat's apart when you've got thirteen patients acting up," Amber said in an unapologetic tone.
Dr. Candance blinked and turned her attention back to the patients. "You three; partner up."
Crane's normally pale complexion turned fairly sallow as he realized his options. "Neither are a desirable choice," he commented.
"Oh come on, Jonny Boy!" The Joker giggled as he plopped down in the vacant seat next to his and dug an elbow into the man's ribs. "I'm not so bad."
"I'd rather die."
"Dance with me and I guarantee you'll die laughing. Hee hee ha ha ha!"
"I'm in Hell," Crane mumbled, dragging his palm over his face.
Nigma poked Katherine and lowered his voice. "Why aren't you encouraging him to choose Katelynn 2? Weren't you planning on shipping them yesterday?"
"What's the point now?" Katherine moaned.
Nigma's face scrunched up with confusion. "Huh?"
"Fine, I'll pair myself up with that abomination of a girl," Crane reluctantly conceded.
The Joker gave an overly fake pout and snapped his fingers. "Oh fiddlesticks, looks like I'm the odd man out. What a shame. Guess I'll have to sit out after all." He got up from his chair, intending to sit on the bench at the back wall, when Dr. Candance spoke up.
"Oh nonsense; Nurse Johnson will step in and dance with you!"
Amber's spine went rigid. "What!" she croaked.
The Joker slowly turned his head in her direction and gave a shark-like grin. "What a maaarvelous idea," he crooned.
"That's a terrible idea," Amber blurted.
"Nurse Johnson, I'm surprised at you. Do you want to deprive your charge the opportunity of experiencing a break-through with positive therapy?"
Amber's mouth snapped closed. Why did she have to put it like that?
"Yeah, Nurse Amber, you wouldn't want to be unfair, wouldja?" That gleam in his dark eyes and the sly, predator-like grin made her stomach clench and to her embarrassment, she couldn't say it was entirely due to being repulsed. Amber sent a glare in Crane's direction who took no notice of it anyway.
The Joker sauntered over and Amber pressed her back closer to the wall, wishing it would absorb her. He gave an exaggeratedly elegant bow with his hand extended out to her. He tilted his head up and strands of faded green hair fell across his eyes as he peered at her. "Shall we dance, my lady?" he asked, feigning a cultured accent.
Amber slumped in defeat. "This is going to end in disaster and a trip to the emergency room."
"Naaah, it could end with the two of us running off together and giving Batman an ulcer." The Joker waggled his eyebrows at her while wiggling the fingers of his still extended hand. She sighed and placed the tips of her fingers in his palm. "That's the spirit, peaches." Amber nearly flinched as she felt his hand close over her's and threaded their fingers together. He winked and dragged her to the center of the floor. "All right, Prancer, let's get this shindig started, hm?"
"Everyone get with your partner. Mr. Tommy, if you'll stand over here with me, please. Face your partners!"
"More like opponents." Amber glared in response to the silly grin on the Joker's face. "Can't dance by the way, so sucks for you," she grumbled.
The Joker snorted. "This coming from the woman who's been caught dancing down the halls numerous times?"
"Who told!"
"So you are the nurse the guards were talking about!" The Joker let out a sharp bark of laughter.
Amber gritted her teeth and turned to walk away. As much as she joked that she couldn't dance worth spit, it still stung whenever it was brought up as a serious fact. She held no confidence in her dance skills and avoided any situation that would require her to actually dance and not goof around.
"Oh don't be like that, sweetheart," the Joker chortled as he circled around to block her. He grabbed Amber by the shoulders and promptly spun her to face the direction she'd just come from. He forced her to return to their spot even as she pressed her back to his chest in order to dig her heels in and slow his steps. She was reminded of just how surprisingly solid the Joker's chest was despite his lean frame.
"I'm not going to listen to you insult my dancing the whole session time, Joker," Amber hissed above the squeak of her shoe's as the Joker continued to slid her forward. Fortunately the other patients were to busy bickering with each other to notice them.
"I promise I won't say anything else about it."
Amber straightened and craned her neck to look at him, her left eyebrow quirking up in surprise. "Really?"
"I promise not to mention that –," The Joker suddenly ducked and Amber's world went upside down as he threw her over his shoulder and proceeded to walk. His voice rang out for all to hear. "– Nurse Amber Johnson's secretly got boogie feet!"
Amber's face flushed scarlet and she beat her fist on his back while clinging to his shirt in fear of falling. "Put me down!"
"Oh my –," Dr. Candance gasped.
Dent held up a hand to silence her. "Calm down, doc. This is practically normal for this group." He grinned with bemusement as he watched the Joker strut back with their nurse.
"Well, doc, what's the first step?" the Joker asked, making no move to put Amber down.
"Um," Dr. Candance began, a bit distracted by Amber's flailing legs.
"No desserts for a month, Joker!"
"Eh, the cafeteria's selections have sucked lately anyway."
"Could you please, Mr. Joker, uh –?"
"What?" The Joker looked at Dr. Candance blankly as if he didn't know what the problem was. By now all the patients were snickering with amusement at the display. Amber was starting to feel a bit dizzy and her struggles slowed. The Joker jiggled his shoulder. "You still there, peaches?"
"Hnnnng," she moaned.
"Whoops." He knelt and deposited Amber onto the floor with uncharacteristic carefulness. He held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
Amber squinted. "Two."
He lowered one. "How about now?"
"Stop flipping me off, you jerk."
He chuckled and gave her cheek a pinch. "She's fine." The Joker unceremoniously hauled her to her feet and pulled her to his side when she wobbled. "Let's get started!"
Amber closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and convinced herself that murder was not an option; no matter how enticing it seemed to be at that given moment. But it didn't mean she couldn't get back at him in some other way.
Opening her eyes, she tilted her head up and smiled sweetly at him. "I bet the Creeper is a boss dancer compared to you."
She could have sworn she saw the Joker's skin turn red beneath the white face paint. "That act-stealing plagiarist wishes he was as good as –!" He saw the way her lips curled in a victorious smile and stopped. His cheeks puffed out as he exhaled trapped air. "Well played, sweetie. Well played."
Dr. Candance was scrolling through her tango playlist, whether she was purposefully ignoring what was happening around her or too engrossed in finding the right song, it was hard to say. "It'll have to be just the right pace for beginners… How about 'Sway'?"
The Joker gave a lop-sided smirk and 'hm'ed. "I love that song," he said wistfully.
"Say what?" Amber asked.
The Joker's brow furrowed. "Mmh?" He glanced down at her and seemed to realize something. "Er, nothing – wrong story," he replied quickly.
"'Sway's' been done," Katherine answered Dr. Candance.
"Okay then…. Oh! 'Tango' by Jaci Velasquez! It's perfect!" She turned to the group and smiled brightly. "Step one…"
You know what a musical montage is, right? Well, picture what must have occurred in that room for the next hour and have 'Save the Last Dance for Me' by Michael Bublé playing in the background. Toes got stepped on, bodies bumped into each other, at one point Tommy got so confused he started to do the woman's steps and Dent managed to sling Ivy half-way across the room when trying to perform a simple spin into his arms. Crane had to deal with Katelynn 2's constant jittery bouncing when she grew impatient for the next steps and she'd take the lead. Katherine would watch and get weepy, wailing about the unfairness of life until Nigma would distract her by dipping her low which set her off into giggle fits. Katlyn 1 glared daggers at them the entire time she danced with Jervis who kept trying to turn their tango into a waltz until Dr. Candance corrected him. As for the Joker and Nurse Amber, they showed surprising compatibility as dance partners.
Psych!
"Your hand is too low on my back," Amber said through tightly clenched teeth.
"Are you accusing me of being handsy, peaches?"
"Yes," she hissed.
"Well I could always remove it I guess."
"Nonononono –!"
"Whoopsies! Hee hee hee ha ha!"
Thump!
"…Ouuuuuuch," Amber groaned.
"Maybe I should have pulled you up from that dip first, huh, peaches?"
A hand lifted and gestured for him to come closer. He knelt down, angling his head towards her. Amber nabbed his earlobe and jerked him to her level. "YES!" she screamed in his ear.
About fifteen minutes later, Dr. Candance announced the group had learned all the steps and that now she wanted to observe them as they danced through the routine without interruptions. She'd set up a camera to record their progress and for a copy to be added to their files.
"But what about my progress?" Tommy asked.
"After I watch them I'll record the two of us on a separate recording."
Dr. Candance pointed a remote at the camera and a red light blimped on just before the music started.
"I think we did pretty good, peaches."
"Don't talk to me."
"Whay-oh, oh whay-oh
Whay-oh, oh-whay.
"Ready, chica?"
"I hope you get a charley horse."
"Love ya too, sweet pea."
"Love is a fiery dance of give and take
The game of tug-of-war
Can be so tantalizing
We tend to fight over
Who's right, who's wrong
We push the buttons
That keep the tension rising…"
"Why is your hand moving southward again?"
"It loves to visit the land of Dixie. Ack!"
"Next time, I'll do more than just step on your toes."
"Noted."
"You like to keep it civilized and calm
I like the drama
It exposes all the feelings
We won't resolve it
If we both shut down
We gotta work it out
Before we hit the ceiling!"
"Heh heh heh."
"What's so funny?"
"You said you couldn't dance."
"Yeah, so? I can't and that's that."
"Well excuse me, sugar buns, but it looks to me like you are."
"…Did you just call me 'sugar buns'?
"Erm…"
"Whay-oh, oh whay-oh
Whay oh, oh whay
I think it's time to tango
Whay-oh, oh whay-oh
Whay-oh, oh-whay
Sometimes you need to tango
Que se muevan
Que se baila, oh,"
"Geez, my Spanish sucks."
"How's that, Amber?"
"We've been listening to this song for over an hour and I can't remember enough of high-school Spanish to translate what those lyrics mean."
"Que se muevan
Que se baila, oh,"
"Roughly translated it means, 'To move, That dance.'"
"…Oh."
"Oh?"
"Well here I was thinking it meant something beautiful and poetic when it actually sounds like something I'd piece together."
The Joker threw back his head and laughed.
"Que se muevan
Que se baila, oh
Que se muevan
Que se baila."
"To move, dat dance tho," Amber said with comedic inflection. The Joker snickered.
"Let's dance together
Baby, you and me,"
"I'm never going to be able to hear the Spanish part without thinking that now, thanks alot."
"Wasn't my fault," the Joker insisted. "Your brain is the one that went in that direction."
"Can't let our differences
Ever come between us
We'll find the rhythm
If we meet half-way…"
"Joker."
"Hm?"
"Hand."
"Let's not get feisty
Just because we're Mars and Venus!"
"Just what have you got against my hand being there?"
"It's inappropriately low, that's what." Amber reached behind herself and to reposition the Joker's hand while continuing the dance.
The Joker gave a haughty toss of his head. "My hand is at the appropriate placement for the tango, Sister Christian."
"I beg to differ," Amber growled, finally succeeding in moving the Joker's hand up.
The song ended and Dr. Candance clapped enthusiastically. "Wonderful! Oh that was great! I do have a few pointers to give to each of you. Joker, your hand needs to be placed lower on Nurse Johnson's back."
The Joker pulled Amber into their dance positions and slid his hand to the small of her back. Exactly where he'd been putting his hand in the first place. Amber could hear the glee in his voice as he asked, "You mean like this?"
"Yes, exactly!"
"Thank you sooo much for that correction, doctor." He turned a maddeningly sardonic grin on Amber.
"Shut up," she mumbled.
"Any other corrections?" the Joker asked Dr. Candance.
"Actually, no. In fact, you two were doing amazingly well!"
"You're not serious," Amber said, disbelief evident in her tone.
"Tommy, if you don't mind, I'd like to record Nurse Johnson and the Joker by themselves first and then we'll go next."
"I'm okay with that."
"Great!"
"She is serious," Amber realized.
"Would all of you clear the floor except for the Joker and Nurse Johnson?"
"She's got to be kidding me. I'm not that good," Amber persisted.
"I'm going to choose a different song for the two of you to dance to. I think something a little slower. I want to see how you two can adjust to the change in tempo."
"Maybe she only looked at us when I did one step right and her attention was focused on someone else the rest of the time?"
The Joker rolled his eyes and once again pulled Amber towards him. "You're not as bad as ya think, sweetheart. Now stop babbling and dance."
"You don't own me…"
Amber's eyes became the size of apples. You. Have got. To be kidding me. Of all songs!
"I'm not just one of your many toys,
You don't own me…"
Granted it wasn't the same song by Lesley Gore, it was a cover by a female artist Amber wasn't familiar with. Whoever the singer was had a voice that transformed the song into a seductive tease.
"Don't say I can't go with other boys..."
The music flowed and Amber let the Joker set the pace as they fit their steps with the new song. Maybe she was imagining that the Joker incorporated a few different things in the routine? Was the spin supposed to end with her back pressed up against him like that?
"Don't tell me what to do
And don't tell me what to say
Please, when I go out with you
Don't put me on display…"
The songs took a turn and a male began to rap new lyrics which basically said that even though the girl was independent, she didn't really know what she was missing out on with him. What the heck? She didn't like it. In her opinion it ruined the message of the song itself. "Whatever you're thinking about sure helps you concentrate," the Joker said, disrupting Amber's thoughts.
"Huh?"
"Woo, you really were in your own little world, weren't you?"
Amber focused on a spot on the Joker's shoulder. "Just thinking about how this version completely changes the theme of what Gore's version meant for it to be."
"Hm, deep thoughts."
"Well it's stupid because it would have been good if they'd left the rap part out but no they had to go and put in lyrics about how the girl's a crazy, sexy, wild chic who's a tease and it degrades –," Amber cut herself off when she made eye contact with the Joker and remembered just who she was talking to. As he lowered her into a dip, she peered at him. "How do you do that?"
He lifted her and moved to the next step without a hitch. "Do what?"
"Make me forget for a moment that you're …"
"Mentally unstable?"
"…Yeah."
The Joker gave her a secretive smile. "It's one of my many talents and makes the judges pull their hair out in anguish."
"…Are you really crazy?"
He winked. Amber came to notice that they were no longer moving. The dance had ended. Once again Dr. Candance was applauding and the rest of the group along with her.
Dent was sniffling as he clapped. "Beautiful –," sniff, "Just –," sniff sniff, "– beautiful."
A throat cleared from the doorway. "Ahem. I hope I'm not interrupting?" Amber turned to find Dr. Arkham hovering uncertainly. "Nurse Amber, you wanted to speak to me as soon as I was available."
"Yes!" Amber darted over, leaving the Joker to fend for himself against Dr. Candance's gushing compliments. He looked over the woman's head at Amber and mouthed, "Help me!" She ignored him and ushered Dr. Arkham out the door.
"So what's this all about?" he asked once they were out in the hall and Amber made sure no one was around.
"It's about Officer Bolton, sir."
"Bolton?"
"Yes, sir. I'm afraid he's a danger to the patients."
"Your patients?"
"No. All of them."
Because My Purple Skies promised this chapter wouldn't be so serious in order to make up for the previous two, let's skip on over to what's happening to the patients cause that's always a bit more amusing, right?
Dr. Candance, having run out of praises to describe Nurse Johnson and the Joker's performance, realized they were once again down to an uneven number of partners. "Oh well, I'm sure that after Tommy and I are done with videoing our dance that Katherine will happily volunteer to take turns dancing with the Joker."
"THE HECK I/SHE WILL!" chorused the Joker and Katherine. They blinked and looked at each other.
"What's so wrong with dancing with me?" Katherine asked, insulted.
"Phft! I'd have to look at your face, that's what!"
"Hey, at one time you found me hot!"
"Ugh." The Joker shuddered. "Don't remind me. We'd only just met and I was desperate."
Katherine's mouth gaped open as she gasped with offense. "Eddie!"
To his credit, Nigma had already taken steps towards the Joker. "Hey, don't you talk about my woman like that!"
Two women had two separate reactions to those words from Nigma. Katlyn 1 gasped and covered her mouth with a heartbroken whimper. Katherine looked as though she just saw the Riddler descend from the clouds with the Hallelujah chorus announcing his presence.
The Joker grinned maliciously. "Oooh, does Eddikins had a little lady now?"
Nigma faltered for only a second, glanced back at Katherine, and then gave the Joker a firm, confident nod. "Yeah. Yeah, I do." In her eyes, the Riddler sprouted wings and a halo.
Dent, Ivy and Crane sat down in their chairs and shared a large bowl of popcorn that's origins they weren't about to question. Jervis and Tommy nervously eyed the fuming Katlyn 1. Katelynn 2 was spinning in circles and humming the Batman theme music.
"Where is she?" the Joker asked while pretending to search the room. "Where's the little lady? Is she standing behind the sequoia tree next to you?"
Steam practically exuded from Katherine's ears as she balled her hands into fists and gritted her teeth. "Eddie!"
"Come at me, bro!" Nigma crouched into a boxer's stance.
"Now, gentlemen –," Dr. Candance began, taking a step to intervene when Dent reached over and plopped her down in the seat next to Ivy and shoved the bowl of popcorn at her.
"You wanna go, Eddie?"
"Right here, right now!"
"This is a real fight, Eddie, so no girly slapping."
"Punch his lights out, babe!" Katherine called.
"Yaaaaa!" Nigma yowled, lunging at the Joker.
Katelynn 2's spinning bumped her into Dr. Candance's iPod and it shuffled her playlist. 'Jailhouse Rock' began to play loud and clear from the speakers.
"The warden threw a part in the county jail!"
The Joker latched onto Nigma's arm and spun him around and around and used his speed to propel him across the room. Unfortunately he crashed right into Dent and Ivy, knocking them out of their chairs. Crane calmly observed their fall and reached over to pluck some more popcorn from Dr. Candance who looked on in stupefied horror. "You little –," Dent growled, picking himself up off the floor and charging at the Joker.
"Ow! Did you just freaking grope me!" Ivy all but screeched as she pushed a tangled up Nigma off of her.
"I assure you I meant to do no such th –,"
Ivy punched him square on the jaw.
"Hey! No one punches my man!" Katherine shouted, coming to said male's aid.
"Hey, Jervis!" the Joker called. "Dent here just said Alice in Wonderland sucks!"
"Off with his head!"
"Jervis, no!" Tommy cried, grabbing onto his cousin's shirt sleeve and still being tugged along.
One by one each patient became involved in the fight until it was nothing but a jumble of swinging fists, kicking limbs and shouts of pain, insults and battle cries. All but two people that is. Dr. Candance had taken shelter beneath the bench, curled in the fetal position and Jonathan Crane remained seated in his chair, calmly sipping tea. Where did he get the tea you ask? Why don't you ask him if you're bold enough? A slight smirk played along his lips as he watched the chaos surrounding him. He breathed in deeply through his nostrils and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock!"
"So you'll look into it?" Amber asked Dr. Arkham.
"These are very serious accusations, Nurse Amber. Are you confident in them?"
"Yes. Absolutely."
"Then I will do everything that I can to get to the bottom of this. If Officer Bolton is indeed abusing his position as Head of Security here then I'll be sure it's put a stop to."
"Thank you, Dr. Arkham." Amber turned to go.
"Oh, by the way. The mail came before you showed up for work and you received a letter. I held on to it to give to you. Slipped my mind at lunch." Dr. Arkham reached into his lab coat's pocket and pulled out an envelope.
Amber's stomach twisted at the sight of her name in that steadily becoming familiar scrawl. It couldn't be… another one? It had been a few weeks since her last mysterious letter. The letters had started off nice but now they were steadily getting creepier. Amber took the envelope but made no move to open it. "Thanks."
Dr, Arkham left and Amber gazed down at the paper in her hands. She dreaded opening it. Maybe she'd read it later at her apartment. Stuffing the letter into her scrubs pocket, Amber squared her shoulders and headed back for the therapy room. Was she hearing things or did she really hear Elvis Presley singing?
"All right, guys, I think it's time we headed back for – what the heck is going on?!"
Crane lifted his teacup in greeting. "Ah, Nurse Amber. Care to join me?"
Amber couldn't believe her eyes. How had this happened? She'd been gone for less than fifteen minutes and a battle was taking place among her charges. Where was Dr. Can – oh, there she was. Huddled underneath the bench and whimpering.
"Beautiful, is it not?" Crane asked.
Amber eyed him. "Did you do this?"
Crane thought about it for a moment. "Would you think it impressive if I had?"
"That's it; break it up!" Amber shouted. She stormed towards the middle of the fight and – surprise, surprise – the Joker and Nigma were in the center of it all. "Boys!" she snapped.
"Peaches!" the Joker exclaimed cheerfully as if his fists were not frozen in the act of slugging Nigma in the nose.
"Nurse Amber!" the Riddler acknowledged jovially as if he weren't caught about to bite the Joker's arm.
"To your cells. Now." Amber jabbed her finger towards the door and a line of twelve patients shuffled sheepishly along.
Towards the end of the day, as night approached, the patients licked their wounds as well as damaged pride in the confines of their cells. Katherine couldn't stop writing 'Mrs. Katherine Riddler' on every scrape of paper she could find, Katlyn 1 wouldn't speak a word to anyone, and Katelynn 2 was busy using her bed sheet as a cape and dramatically leaping about her cell.
"You're being awfully quiet, Joker," Crane commented, having been watching the Clown Prince of Crime for a good ten minutes. Since arriving in his cell, the Joker had simply lain on his cot and gazed at the ceiling.
"Would you rather I sang you something?"
Crane sneered. "I'd really rather you didn't."
"Then why complain?"
"It wasn't a complaint. It was an observation."
"Sounded like a complaint to me."
Crane pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Whether it sounded like one or not, I'm merely remarking on the fact that you haven't said a word since Nurse Amber brought us here and left."
"Just thinking."
"Pardon?"
"Make one comment about my intelligence and you'll never wake up tonight."
Crane swallowed whatever insult he'd had on the tip of his tongue and casually leaned on the glass wall as he watched the Joker from across the hall. "What are you thinking about pray tell?"
"Dancing. Of a whooole other kind." The sly tone and the sleazy grin on his face halted any further questions from Crane who wisely turned and went to his own cot.
When it was lights out and all, save for himself, were asleep, the Joker still lay awake, but kept his eyes closed. The night watchman at the end of the hall had his radio on and the Joker could just barely make out the lyrics.
"I, I can't get these memories out of my mind
And some kind of madness has started to evolve…"
Greaaaat song choice for an asylum, buddy. Kudos to you! the Joker thought sarcastically.
"I, I tried so hard to let you go
But some kind of madness is swallowing me whole, yeah…"
Madness didn't really swallow a person. More like it gobbled you up, chewed and spat you out all rearranged.
"I have finally seen the light
And I have finally realized
What you mean
Oh oh oh…"
The Joker began to slip in and out of consciousness. Memories of dance therapy flitted about. Amber had only seemed annoyed at the prospect of dancing with him, but acted terrified of having to actually dance. That had struck him as adorable. Once he provided her with something to distract her, she'd performed all the steps with a kind of accuracy that could only be brought on by doing it without thinking about it.
"And now, I need to know is this real love
Or is it just madness keeping us afloat?
And when I look back on all the crazy fights we had
Like some kind of madness
Was taking control
Yeah…"
Despite the arguing, they really had danced well together. In the Joker's memories, just as he was dozing off, he revisited their dance but there were a few differences. For one thing, he wasn't wearing his prison uniform, but his custom-made purple suit and Amber wasn't in scrubs. She wore that pretty red sun-dress for her (Gag!) date with Brittney. Geez, she needed to date a real man and not some petrified pansy.
"And now I have finally seen the light
And I have finally realized what you need
Mmmh…"
As he slipped further into his dreams, more things began to transform. Amber didn't act so annoyed at him. She didn't stop his hand from settling at the small of her back or tracing up her spine when he dipped her low to the floor. Her movements were fluid and their steps a grew more sensual than what Dr. Candance had taught them. They were no longer dancing in the therapy room but somewhere else. He couldn't put a name to the place; it didn't seem to really be anywhere in particular. In fact, he and Amber were the only two things in focus.
"And now I have finally seen the end (Finally seen the end)
And I'm not expecting you to care (Expecting you to care)
But I have finally seen the light (Finally seen the light)
I have finally realized (Realized)
I need to love!
I need to love!"
Oh, that move was a bit unexpected from Amber. They met eyes and he smirked at the mischievous glint he saw in her gaze. So that's how she wanted to play, huh? He wanted to see just how sweet this little peach really was. The tango was left behind as a different kind of dance began to take place in his dream.
"Come to me,
Just in your dream
Come on and rescue me
Yes I have known, I can be wrong
Maybe I'm too headstrong
Our love is
Madness."
In the waking world, the Joker smiled in his sleep.
(Wow, I am on a role! I've updated two stories in a week! Phew! Writer's Block, don't stop me now! Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this update and I will hopefully get to typing up the next chapter sometime this month. Let me know your thoughts! Until next time, dear Readers!)